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The count of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has hit its peak point since the beginning of official data began in 1980.

New figures indicate that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in detention in the 12-month period leading up to June were Indigenous. This marks an increase from 24 fatalities in the prior equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are severely represented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, despite comprising under 4% of the national population.

These disturbing statistics come to light over three decades after a seminal royal commission into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made numerous of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, twenty-six took place while in prison custody, which is an increase from 18 in the prior year.

One death was in youth detention, and the vast majority of the individuals were male.

The other six fatalities took place in police custody, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are detaining them.

The leading reason of First Nations deaths was categorised as "self-harm," followed by "illness." The report found that hanging was the cause in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Distribution

The Australian state of New South Wales recorded the highest number of Indigenous deaths in correctional facilities with nine, then Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory each had three deaths.

The growing number of First Nations deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's coroner has said.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths required "thorough and careful scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Demographic Details and Expert Response

The mean age of those who died was 45, and eleven of the deceased were awaiting a sentence.

A university associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the figures as reflecting a "national emergency" that requires "leadership and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple coronial inquests with grieving families, said very little has changed since the 1991's royal commission that aimed to address this issue.

"It's infuriating to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the fact that we are 30 years after the inquiry, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she commented.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 First Nations people have died in custody, which includes six in juvenile detention centers, as per the findings.